Superintendent, treasurer evaluated
Bellefontaine City Schools Board of Education members approved at their meeting this week the final step for placing a renewal operating levy on the Nov. 2 ballot.
The board passed a resolution to proceed with the emergency tax levy that currently generates $1,185,000 per year for school district operating expenses. If approved by voters in November, this issue would renew the current levy in place and would not raise taxes, Superintendent Brad Hall said.
This emergency levy represents a five-year issue that was first approved in November 2016. The levy began collection 2018 and currently continues through 2022. Following the board’s resolution of necessity for the levy last month, the issue was certified by the Logan County auditor for an estimated amount of 3.8 mills.
Also during the meeting, members convened in executive session for the purpose of evaluating the superintendent and the treasurer. No official action was taken after the session, with members stating that any contract modifications will be voted on at the next meeting, slated for 6:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 16, at the Bellefontaine High School Distance Learning Center.
In a prepared statement issued by the board, members said relating to Treasurer Josh Wasson that they are “very pleased with his performance.” After being with the district for a little more than 18 months, Wasson has “already successfully launched a new software program that went live a few days ago.”
In addition, the treasurer led an effort in the refunding of Bond Series 2014, providing a savings to district taxpayers of $1.3 million in the 15 years left before payoff.
“He has also significantly modified the format for our five-year forecasts, which gives us a lot more information to enable the best financial decisions for the district….We look forward to Josh’s continued financial leadership of Bellefontaine City Schools,” the board said.
Also in their statements, members said Superintendent Brad Hall led the district “through a very challenging and unpredictable year” during the 2020-21 school year and that members are “very pleased with Mr. Hall’s performance over the last year.”
“The Board of Education was continually updated on necessary changes and included in decisions that were regularly necessary in an evolving health crisis. The Board thanks Mr. Hall for his compassionate leadership through this last year.”
Members said there were two goals for the last year that sometimes conflicted with each other — to educate the children of the community in as safe an environment as realistically as possible.
The superintendent “met weekly with the Logan County health commissioner to assure that BCS was complying with the most up-to-date safety protocols.
“He worked with our executive director of administration to assure that each of our buildings were safe environments for our students and staff. He worked with our executive director of instructional services to assure that each student could be educated to the best of our ability, either in a protective in-person environment or a virtual environment.”
The board said the superintendent is evaluated each year relating to progress toward the district’s goals, and related that members have observed “significant progress in all of our district goals for 2020-21.”
“In addition to academic achievements and a safe school environment, Mr. Hall also led us into an opportunity to purchase one-on-one technology across for the district for school year 2021-22. This is a longtime dream for our district.”
Related to the technology updates, Maria Borba, Marc Starkey and Matthew Heaston provided a presentation on the new one-to-one program, where students in grades 6-12 will have take-home Chromebooks in the upcoming school year. Pupils in grades K-5 will have access to full classroom sets of Chromebooks. All of the Chromebooks are brand new.
With the implementation of the program, members also approved a $50 annual technology fee for students in grades 6-12 for the take-home devices. Upon their high school graduation, students graduating in years 2022-2025 will be eligible to purchase their laptops at a reduced fee. Students graduating in 2026 and beyond would be eligible to receive their laptops at no cost after paying their technology fees each year.
The fee structure will enable the district to sustain the program and to enable incoming sixth-graders to receive a new Chromebook to use through graduation and beyond, officials said.
The board also approved the flat $30 student fee for all students in grades K-12.
In other action, the board:
• accepted the resignations the following resignations: Tracy Brady, sixth-grade social studies, effective May 27; and Stacy Calton, middle school/high school vocal music, effective July 1; and Jennifer Byerly, elementary media aide/technology, effective July 14;
• approved the appointments of Hayley Nease, elementary intervention specialist, and Brice Henry, middle school/high school vocal music, effective with the 2021-22 school year; and the appointment of Stephanie Marker, intermediate school nurse, effective Aug. 16;
• approved the resignation of Martha Earick as high school principal’s secretary, and approved her appointment as the central office secretary, effective June 28; and the resignation of Melanie Lehman as high school media/Success Center aide, and approved her appointment as high school principal’s secretary, effective July 23;
• approved continuing contracts for the following professional personnel — Allyson Harmon, Brianna Hughes, Jill Roode, Erin Hoyng and Stacy Millice; and
• extended supplemental contracts to Cam Henry, head eighth-grade football; Zach Vermillion, assistant eighth-grade football; Skylar Mifsud, Josh Jones, assistant high school football; Morgan Fultz, high school weight room coordinator; Jason Calton, fall sports site manager, winter sports site manager; Brice Henry, high school and middle school vocal music.